Riverside fire brought under control

Ten pumping appliances attened a fire at the Riverside Leisure Centre, Cowick Street, Exeter yesterday.

The blaze was this morning under control and all roads in the area open as usual.

The fire was reported in the first floor sauna, and the health suite was well alight.

Appliances attended from Danes Castle, Middlemoor, Topsham, Exmouth, Crediton, Ottery St Mary, Cullompton, Teignmouth, Bovey Tracey and the aerial appliances from Torquay and Exeter.

Twenty people were removed from the swimming pool and the leisure centre was also evacuated.

Below is a full fire service report from the incident.

17:28

Fire located in the health suite of the fitness centre, efforts being made to bring the fire under control and stop any further spread. 6 BA in use, one person suffering from smoke inhalation treated on scene.

Other emergency services are on the scene and traffic is likely to be affected in the area.

17:56

Five additional appliances in attendance from Newton Abbot (two), Chard, Honiton, and a second appliance from Teignmouth, making a total of 15 pumping appliances.

18:32

Fire in sauna spread to roof. One person suffering from smoke inhalation and one person suffered burns but had left scene.

3 jets and 2 hose reels in use.

18:58

Roads in the immediate vicinity – Exe Bridges and Alphington Road were closed to allow emergency vehicle access and to carry out their work.

It is understood around 20 people were evacuated from the swimming pool, which became engulfed in smoke. Residents of a neighbouring property, as a precautionary measure, were asked to leave. In total around 40 to 50 people have been evacuated. All people within the leisure centre have now been accounted for.

Marks and Spencers is acting as a reception centre. Some neighbourhood police officers have taken people home and a few others were at Marks and Spencers being looked after. The South West Ambulance HART team (Hazardous Area Response Team), are providing assistance at the reception centre.

There are two reported injuries – one with minor smoke inhalation and one with a minor burn. Both casualties were treated at the scene.

The public are asked to please avoid the Alphington Road and Exe Bridges area, as this is adding to the congestion.

21.00hrs update.

There are still 17 pumping appliances and supporting specialist appliances on scene with a total of between 70 to 80 firefighters at any one time.

Crews are making steady progress and are at present using 8 breathing apparatus , 3 hosereel jets and 2 main jets attempting to extinguish fire which has gone into the air conditioning ducts and roofspace of this 2 floor 60m x 30m property used as a leisure. DSFRS are also working alongside other agencies such as Environment agency to ensure any environmental impact to local area because of this fire is minimized. Further updates will follow........

2359hrs update...

Fire now fully under control and mostly extinguished. Crews scaling down to 4 pumping appliances and an aerial ladder platform. Thermal image camera and other specialist equipment being used to search out any remaining hotspots within building.

0645 hrs

Excellent progress has been made and this incident is now scaling down to 1 pump with crews maintaining a watching brief on the roof. Crews are using hose reel jets and a thermal image camera.